The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-10-29
THE THREE SKELETONS.
The Strange Story Of an Unsolved
Mystery.

most strongly fortified city in the Con-
federacy was in the hands of the Fed
erals.
Among the few citizens remaining
in the captured stronghold was Henry
Gates.
When his friends fled from the place
Gates refused to go. His wife had
been killed by shell during the siege,
and he no longer felt interested in any
thing.
If they will let me alone" he said
sit is all ask. l am going to shut
myself up here at home, and nobody
will be bothered by me-"
But it was not an easy matter for
Gates to live undisturbed in his big
house. The Federal soldiers could not
resist tho temptation to help them
selves to every thing that struck their
fancy. Gates gloomy residence,
standing at some distance from the
other houses, attracted their attention.
The servants had left the city with the
Confederates, and as Gates never
showed himself, the hooters were under
the impression that the place was de-
serted.
Ono day several stout fellows rushed
In and stripped the garden. They
pulled up the corn, tomatoes, cabbages,
turnips and beans, and left the ground
perfectly bare. Then they invaded the
back lot and carried off a COW and
calf.
The owner of the property watched
these proceedings from ~ window and
silently nursed his wrath.
But this was only the beginning. In
an clubhouse two bales of cotton and
some tobacco had been stored. Gates
had made the investment thinking that
II the city was captured he would be
able to turn the cotton and tobacco
Into greenbacks. Naturally his indig.
nation was unbounded when he woke
up one morning and found crowd OF
soldiers loading his hidden treasure
Into an army wagon.
He ran out of the house and remon-
strated wildly with the robbers, but
they merely laughed at him. Finally
two of the men tied him to tree and
gagged him. Then they jumped into
the wagon and drove off. In little
while Gates tore himself loose. HI
went into the house and locked the
doors.
AS the day wore on he worked him
self into fury.
Life is not worth living" he said
ssif | must submit to these outrages.
I can't have my rights I'll have bloodr
He spent some time looking through
the house, and at last he found an ole
bowie knife. With smile of satisfac
fion he seized the murderous weapon
and the next hour or two was spent il
whetting it, and no did not lay it asid
until it was as sharp as razor.
Snow let them comet he muttered
At late hour that night Gates wa
awakened by noise in one of the low
pr rooms. Leaping from his bed, h
took his knife and glided down stairs
The moonlight enabled him to diml
see every object in his way.
When he reached the foot g
the stairs he paused to listen
He could not be mistaken. He hear
the sound of shuffling feet in bac
room. Turning the door knob quiet
~ he ran against burly ruffian i
blue.
For Gods sake" said the soldier
when he saw the appraised knife.
His appeal was useless. Once, twice
thrice the deadly steel descended, an
the victim fell with the death rattle i
his throat!
Gates reeled back when he saw whs
he had done. All his life he had bee
a man OF peace. 1t was an awful sigh
20 see that white, dead face with til
staring eyes.
The slayer had no time to lose. H
closed the window through which tn
Intruder had entered, and then bega
70 think about the concealment Of til
body. It would not do to stand I'll
consequences of his act. He could n.
hope for justice. The Federals woul
kill him without trial.
In an instant his plan was mature,
He lifted the dead man by the SHOULD
ers and dragged him down into the ce
lar. The place was favorable for Il
concealment of the body. The VOL
of walling the sides Of the cellar ha
been suspended during the siege ar
the floor was Uttered with fragments
granite and other material left by Il
masons
The body was carefully deposited
. corner, and Gates struck mate
but at once distinguished it. He went
work in the dark. and in less than t.
minutes he had covered the lifele
hesp in the corner with pile Of ru
Dish.
There was no more sleep that mig
tor Gates. He wandered from room
room. thinking and planning. VIII
morning came he looked into mir
Ind gave . cry of horror His fa
Vas pinched and haggard. and his hs
70 black and glossy tho day before W
>hessdsd with grayl